


Just Another Visit

by xladysaya



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Triple Dates, kuroo is a loser but what else is new, side kagehina, side yamayachi - Freeform, tsukki is a stubborn bean who loves stuffed animals shhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-10 08:52:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11688237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xladysaya/pseuds/xladysaya
Summary: Despite his desire to deny it as much as possible, all Kei wants is to spend the weekend with his boyfriend. However, the universe seems determined to make him suffer, and an interruption comes in the form of his happily dating teammates, all of whom have no clue about Kei's relationship. Great.





	Just Another Visit

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I'm glad I finally get to post this piece for everyone ^^ This was a request for lena-lady on tumblr! They really wanted some triple date action with Kuroo visiting Tsukki from Tokyo, so I hope I delivered <3 Enjoy!

_Two minutes._

Kuroo's train would be here in two minutes.

Kei checked his phone for the fifth time in the last thirty seconds, scowling as time refused to pass, purposefully trapping him in the same tense moment. He felt sweat beginning to collect at the back of his neck, and he hoped it would stop there. Stupid Kuroo. Stupid train. Stupid train schedules. Stupid anxiety making him show up way earlier than he needed to every time.

It was too hot outside to be this worried...

Kei's eyes widened a bit, and he was thankful no one was around to hear the slight choking noise he made in the back of his throat. Too hot to be worried, if he  _was_ worried, that was.  _Yeah_.

Because he wasn't.

Not in the slightest.

Kuroo came to visit a lot these days, there was no reason to be worried.

Kei pulled his phone out again, choosing to not note his clammy palms as they clutched the overheated casing. It really was scorching...

There were two notifications lighting up his screen from fifteen minutes prior which he hadn't bothered to respond to. It wasn't like he needed to, Kuroo would be there soon, and they were the usual kind anyways...

**_Kuroo Tetsurou_** _:_  Alright sounds good, I'm almost there ヾ(*ΦωΦ)ﾉ

**_Kuroo Tetsurou_** : I can't wait to see you.

Yeah. No response needed...

One minute left.  _Damn_.

Kei stuffed his phone rapidly back into his pocket, blaming the heat he felt on his face on the weather, and willed his lips not to curl up at the edges. He could already hear the train in the distance, loud against the rails, and it did a good job of making his nervousness and anticipation collide into a weird concoction of excitement inside him. It was something he  _refused_ to show on the outside, not here. He didn't want to seem lame, or worse, desperate. That mattered, didn't it?

Well, it wasn't like he cared either way.

As the sound got closer, Kei swallowed, one hand reaching down to tug at the edge of his t-shirt. Ah, there was his other stupid problem. His fingers rubbed at the cheap material, his glaring eyes giving himself what must've been the tenth once over since he'd left the house. The shirt was plain, with simple geometric patterns splayed out on the navy blue fabric. Along with it, he wore white shorts. Simple, practical. This was how most people were dressing, after all, it was the summer time. It only made sense, lest he die from heat stroke.

Still, he felt exposed, his scrawny arms out on display, his pale skin threatening to burn under the onslaught which were the sun's rays. His limbs felt too long and awkward to not be covered up by sweaters and jeans. Winter clothes always suited him better in his mind, he loathed summer clothes, detested the heat which he was forced to deal with.

But he probably looked fine.

Normal.

It didn't matter if he didn't though.  _Who cares?_

Kuroo wouldn't. Right? He never had before, unless he just hadn't wanted to _say_ anything about how awkward Kei looked in summer wear. Ugh. Kei glared at sight of the train coming closer, his heart beating a rate way too fast given how he was only standing.

Ever since he and Kuroo...well, ever since they'd started  _dating_ , he'd been worrying about the most annoying things. Appearance, how smart he seemed, how he laughed or how his voice sounded when he talked...

He fretted over all of it, and it was  _awful_.

It wasn't fair, how the third year captain could pull those reactions and thoughts out of him. Kei wondered why he allowed it, but he wasn't naive enough to think he was simply being pulled along into this. No, he'd been an...active participant from the start, whether he liked to admit it or not. Something about Kuroo had that effect on him, and he didn't quite get why. Well, he knew the basics. He obviously  _liked_ Kuroo. It was why late practices turned into even  _later_ practices, just the two of them. It was why walks back to the Karasuno bunks became less lonely, it was why occasional texts turned into routine. Getting his phone confiscated at the dinner table, not getting enough sleep, care packages, Skype calls, the whole lot. Honestly, he should've seen it coming. But Kuroo had been a whirlwind for Kei, one he'd succumbed to willingly, and really felt no intention of getting away from.

It was weird, how little he resisted, but then again, there was no real reason to at the time. Earlier, he'd thought it out in depth. About how Kuroo was a third year and things couldn't possibly work out, or how Kuroo would get sick of his reserved personality at some point. In those scenarios, the relationship wasn't worth the effort.

But Kuroo was a determined bastard, and it was as if he knew every single obstacle Kei had conjured up in his mind. He jumped over them effortlessly, with his words, his convoluted and cheesy speeches, and his overall affection. Kei wasn't used to any of it, but he had no choice but to accept it, couldn't deny it felt  _good_. Kuroo was one thing he couldn't resist, it seemed, and shockingly, he couldn't build up any rage about it.

So, he'd have to see where things went, and right now...

Kei took a deep breath, willing the heavy thoughts away as the train began to pull up in front of him, the gentle whoosh offering a much needed breeze on the hot day. It offered minimal relief to his internal struggle however, and he couldn't help how his breath caught when the doors opened in front of him, revealing his boyfriend with the usual black mess of hair.

Kuroo's eyes locked with his own as the third year stumbled forward, nearly losing his footing as he stepped in front of Kei. The older boy was slightly out of breath too, almost as if he'd fought to be the first out the door, the first to step out. Kuroo was the picture of excitement, all for Kei.

"Wow," Kuroo said, almost to himself, completing the image. Kei felt the butterflies in his stomach go mad at the observation, and he willed himself to breathe normally. Normally, he might make some snide comment, but it wasn't like he looked much cooler than Kuroo anyways, standing two feet from the train door.

_Damnit._

Kuroo's eyes widened, breaking away from the shared gaze to shamelessly scan over the rest of Kei, and it made the blond scrutinize his own outfit all over again. Maybe he looked painfully unattractive after all...

Kei found himself glaring at the ground all over again, the flush traveling down the back of his neck unpleasantly. Meanwhile, the remaining people filed out of the train, eventually leaving them in moderate silence, unmoving.

But this always happened, Kei realized, yet he never got used to it, never knew how to break this weird tension which occurred whenever they'd been apart for too long. It was strange though, because it wasn't a strained or uncomfortable type of silence. Kei didn't know what it meant, just knew every time Kuroo stepped off the train, the blond forgot how to breathe. Subtly, Kei lifted his eyes to look over his boyfriend as well, but the action didn't help his heart rate decrease in the slightest.

Kuroo was the opposite of awkward in his summer clothes, the red short sleeve shirt showing off his toned arms, tight in just the right areas. Kuroo filled it out nicely, Kei couldn't help find himself thinking. Whatever. Kei reasoned that if Kuroo really felt like pointing out Kei's bad fashion choices, the blond could find  _something_ to poke fun at on him. He didn't know what but...he would. But as Kei kept looking, he knew it was easier said than done.

Kuroo wore gray sweats, probably a choice given how the captain  _hated_  how cold Kei kept his room, and Kei knew from experience how low they would come to hang on Kuroo's hips after an afternoon lounging around in bed.

Kei blinked, shaking the thoughts away for another, less embarrassing time, if it was possible.

There was a lanyard looped around Kuroo's neck too, holding mostly keys and miscellaneous charms with Nekoma's name on them. However, among them sat the measly volleyball charm Kei had sent him in a care package. It had been an impulsive move, one he'd made after worrying whether or not he was giving back as much as Kuroo in the affection department. Humiliating. But naturally, he'd found some lame, heart shaped volleyball charm, and had shipped it off before he could give it a second thought. And oh how he should've. It was so stupid, so simple, but the fact Kuroo actually made use of the thing had the flush  _burning_  Kei's skin.

There was hardly anyone around them now. Kei felt like he might explode from the same tension between them, rocking on the balls of his feet, and he thought maybe, just maybe, the tension was welcome.

At the gasp worthy realization, Kuroo finally decided to speak, stepping forward until he was abnormally close to Kei given social standards, barely pulling himself back at the last minute. Kei felt the other's breath against his lips as he backed away. "Uh...I mean. Yeah actually, wow is what I meant." The smirk was back, accompanying the fond tone in a mix which ended up working. Only for Kuroo, _of course_. "Did you miss me?"

Kei sent him the most unimpressed look he could muster, and on cue, Kuroo placed his hand over his heart in mock anguish. It was a familiar dance between the two of them, and by now, Kuroo had to know it was more of an affirmation than anything else.

Kei was never good at admitting his feelings, but he had his ways, and Kuroo seemed to be one of the only people who could pick up on his emotions when they did manage to shine through.

Kei snorted as Kuroo's hand dropped from his heart, the third year shooting him an excited smile at getting the blond to laugh. Dork.

_My dork. Oh god, shut up._

"Well, I missed you too," Kuroo said with a wink, but his voice was annoyingly sincere. Kei covered his smile with the back of his hand as Kuroo fidgeted with the strap of his backpack, chewing his lip in obvious thought. It would've made Kei feel awkward usually, but he felt too high on cloud nine to dwell on it before Kuroo continued. "Missed you a lot actually, heh..."

Kuroo's hand twitched forward, as if to reach out for Kei's, to pull him in and indulge in all the contact they'd been starved of.

Skype calls and text messages could only satisfy so much.

Kei leaned in, nearly tripping over his own feet from the thought of being wrapped in Kuroo's arms, despite the heat of the sun boring down on the pavement. It almost became a reality too, until a few loud shouts and laughter from afar broke the spell between them, and they jolted apart, embarrassed.

_Ah right, still in public._

While the station was fairly vacant, there were a few groups in the distance. They could've gotten away with a kiss or a hug probably, but public displays of affection always made Kei wary, nervous even. He often wondered if it offended Kuroo, but...

The other just smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head before he straightened his posture, looking around the station curiously. His gaze was intense, searching, and Kei would've questioned him, had the invisible light bulb not gone off a moment later in Kuroo's head.

The captain's face lit up, and he grabbed Kei's wrists with a smug expression. "This way, c'mon!"

Before Kei could protest, he was being dragged along through the station, following Kuroo at a jog around corners and past groups of people chatting. It was too hot for this, as minimal of exercise as it was, and Kei was on the verge of complaining when Kuroo stopped after a bend.

Kei adjusted his glasses as he glared at his boyfriend's triumphant face, brain struggling to catch up in such nauseating weather. "What are you...oh."

The area they were in was more enclosed, offering less exposure from the outside. While it made the space slightly muggier than what Kei would’ve preferred, it was devoid of people. The apparently secluded corner of the station offered no reason for anyone to search for it either.

"I found this place last time I was here," Kuroo said with a shrug. "My train got here early and I was waiting for you, so I explored. Didn't think it would actually come in handy til now..."

Kei rolled his eyes, but couldn't fight a smile. Kuroo thought he was so smooth, when really one comment or action from Kei could undo him. Kei was barely realizing this, though they'd been together a few months. As flustered as it made him feel, he was beginning to learn how to use it to his advantage. "And how will you put it to use exactly,  _Tetsu_?" Kei separated the syllables of the other's name, loved the way it rolled off his tongue, and watched as it had the desired effect.

Kuroo's eyes widened as he made a small, choked noise, thrown off by the sudden intimacy.  _He should know better though_ , Kei thought. When it was only the two of them, things changed.

It didn't take long for Kuroo's grin to return tenfold, his hands finally coming forward to wrap around Kei's midsection, and Kei welcomed the embrace, heat be damned. Sometimes he was still hesitant about returning the touch, unsure of how much of his affections were actually wanted, but it had been especially long since last time he'd seen Kuroo. His hands came up around the other's shoulders, for once not caring about how low his defenses were, how vulnerable something like this made him.

He'd found himself caring less and less about those things as he and Kuroo continued to date, mostly because Kuroo never made him doubt how serious the relationship was to him.

_Such a sap._

But well, he wasn't exactly complaining.

Kuroo's lips barely brushed against his as the captain spoke, and Kei could feel his lips curve upwards. "I'll show you, sweetheart."

Kei shivered pleasantly as his lips were covered, his mouth almost immediately opening up to Kuroo's in a routine surrender. Kuroo was a great kisser, Kei had learned, but Kei picked up on things fast, and he was confident in his own abilities now when it came to pulling reactions out of the older boy.

Kei swiped his tongue against the roof of the other's mouth, delighting in the groan he was rewarded with. Kuroo's lips fit right against his it seemed, and Kei was more than happy to sacrifice his need for air in order to have a second longer, a  _millisecond_ more of Kuroo's taste.

Their lips made light smacks whenever they separated, bouncing off the walls around them, and Kei thought he would definitely pass out from the additional heat being created.

Kei felt his head spin, and all from a kiss, he wondered if it was like that for everyone when they kissed, or if it had more to do with the fact he was kissing  _Kuroo_.

Probably the latter, he realized reluctantly.

Kuroo must've been the same way though, breaking away to plunge back a second later, covering Kei's lips again and again like he couldn't get enough, didn't have a limit to how much he could kiss the blond. The thought was intoxicating, and Kei kissed back greedily, savoring the slickness and the taste of mint as he unknowingly backed Kuroo against the wall.

Kuroo laughed into his mouth, grip tightening, but as amazing as the kiss was, they both had to take a break eventually. They broke apart, panting and foreheads touching, and Kei felt his feet stumble, his vision taking a while to come back completely. In short, the kiss had been dizzying, and he didn't care one bit.

Kuroo grinned, pulling away to push his hair back and lean against the cool surface of the wall. His hands remained on Kei's waist though, rubbing small circles on his hip bones underneath his shirt.

"Miss me yet?" Kuroo asked with a laugh, but the effect was lost due to his breathlessness, the way his right hand came up to gently cradle Kei's face. It was too much for Kei to handle, having so much  _feeling_ directed at him, so he closed the gap once again, brushing his lips quickly against Kuroo's.

The third year's face lit up, his expression nothing short of dopey, and Kei made sure to document it instantly into his mind. That look was his, no one else's, for as long as he could have it.

"Idiot, you should know the answer."

Kuroo grinned, satisfied as he stole another quick kiss. "Yeah, you're right." Kuroo was giving him one of those looks again, like Kei was the best thing in the world or something equally ridiculous. Kei had called him out on it once, but Kuroo hadn't been perturbed in the slightest, confidently dubbing it his 'damn I have the best boyfriend ever' face. Kei had thrown a pillow at him.

There was a lull in conversation, a beat of comfortable silence which Kei was seldom able to have with anyone other than Kuroo and Yamaguchi, before Kuroo's face lit up again. "Oh yeah! I got you something, close your eyes."

"You...wha--" Kei could barely question it before Kuroo set his bag down on the floor, rummaging through it excitedly until he found what he was looking for. Come to think of it, his bag had looked sort of overfilled...

"Why?" Kei asked, not that he was really against getting each other gifts, after all, they sent each other little things all the time. But this wasn't exactly a special occasion, or at least not one Kei knew of. "I...didn't get you--"

"Yes yes, I know. I got this for you because I felt like it babe," Kuroo said with a laugh, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. Kei felt his heart involuntarily swell in satisfaction at the endearment, choosing to pout at the words as he waited for Kuroo to unveil the surprise.

However, Kuroo paused before pulling the mystery item out into the open, shooting Kei a scolding look for having his eyes wide open.  _Ah yeah, guess he knows me well at this point._

With an aggravated groan, Kei shut his eyes, thinking twice about opening them mid wait to defy Kuroo.

Kei would deny it aloud, but it was cute when Kuroo got like this, and the fact he'd actually gotten something for Kei made it harder to not become flustered.

Kuroo was being over dramatic again, letting them sit in silence for longer than necessary as he no doubt held the item in his arms, probably staring at Kei in the creepy way he always did. Kei blamed the rising heat under his skin on the stuffiness of the area they were in as he fidgeted with the bottom of his shirt.

"Okay...open!" Kuroo's voice was brimming with excitement, and maybe a hint of...nerves? Kei didn't have much time to think on it, because when he opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the best thing he'd ever seen.

The plushie was slightly oversized, large and poofy enough to be a decent pillow. It had large, doe-like eyes, with a wide snout. The features were obviously modified to look cuter, even the dark green spikes which traveled down its spine, contrasting against the lightness of the body. The dinosaur's forearms were rounded and soft, dangling at its sides while the legs hung down in the air. Kei was pretty sure if he set the plush on his desk, it would sit perfectly on the chubby legs.

It was, for lack of a better word, adorable. Though Kei loved accurate dinosaur models and detailed encyclopedias, it was a well-kept secret he couldn't resist things like this, though he actually owned few. After a certain age, it was rather frowned upon for him to continue having stuffed animals or cutesy dino stickers, so he'd let the fixation with them die away. Well, or so he thought.

He stared at Kuroo's gift with rapt attention, in awe. He wanted to hold it. The only thing keeping him from sweeping the damn thing into his arms and squeezing it was his unmatched need to look cool, but even that was fading fast here.

Around Kuroo, he found his walls began to slip without him realizing it, and this was just another example. It helped Kuroo knew his interests so well, and his gifts never disappointed, mostly because any gift from Kuroo was stupidly sentimental and genuine. Kei hung the charms he was given on his cork board and his key ring, wore the armband when he could get away with it, and kept every single horrible drawing and haiku from Kuroo's letters.

In short, he was pretty much the epitome of done for, and he didn't know why he allowed it. It was impossibly embarrassing, but at least he wasn't the only one. Kuroo kept all Kei's presents too, showed them off whenever he could, and impulsively bought Kei  _more_.

And now  _this_.

Kei swallowed, about to raise his arms to receive the present in the calmest manner he could, when Kuroo pulled it back.  _God damn._

"U-uh well, I know it's not like the figurines you have and stuff," Kuroo began, clutching the plush to his chest  _and oh my god did it squeak? It squeaks. Oh my--_ "I saw it and thought of you is all, but if you think it's lame I can take it back."

_Take it back? Wha--_

Oh. Kuroo thought he didn't like it. Kuroo was nervous about giving Kei something he wouldn't like. Kuroo Tetsurou, with his unbearable confidence and infuriating smirk, was stuttering and avoiding Kei's eyes.

Kei could've laughed, because for most people, this was probably rarer than a paranormal sighting, but this actually wasn't the first time he'd seen Kuroo like this. Kei learned a long time ago how easily he could turn Kuroo into a mess, was still surprised by it. But seeing Kuroo with a light blush on the top of his cheeks, clutching a dinosaur plush to his chest with his muscled arms, it was more than Kei could take for some reason. A surge of fondness traveled through Kei's body, propelling him forward.

It really had been too long since the last time they'd seen each other. 

And didn't Kuroo know anyways? Deep down, Kei couldn't hate anything to do with him.

Wordlessly, Kei took the plush from Kuroo's hands, marveling at how soft the material actually was (seriously, how much was this thing?) and before he could convince himself otherwise, brought it to his face, hugging it fiercely.

Fuck, it was so soft, what the hell? Kei rubbed his face against the dinosaur's snout, ignoring the flush which was no doubt spreading over his face. The thing was thankfully large enough to hide him somewhat, and the whole time, he felt Kuroo's eyes on him.

It was humiliating, but it was either this or  _verbalize_  how much he liked the thing, and he wasn't about to do  _that_. It was only him and Kuroo anyways, he would live. It wasn't like Kuroo hadn't seen him do embarrassing stuff before.

The thought sent another beat of affection through him, and he squeezed the dinosaur harder to resist it, making the plush squeak louder than before, almost enthusiastically.

_Fucking..._

After an unbearable silence, during which Kuroo made several choked noises, Kei finally raised his eyes to observe his boyfriend, and the result was about twenty times more flustering.

It was like Kuroo's "smitten" smile had been cranked up to one hundred, the captain on the verge of exploding from joy, face flushed and all. Fuck, he was practically  _vibrating_.

Kei blanched, sending what he hoped was an intimidating scowl towards the other. "Quit it!"

"Tsukki!! You like it!" Kuroo ignored him, his voice way too loud no matter how secluded they were. "Babe, you're so cu--"

"Shut  _up_ Kuroo!"

But the other was apparently too happy to heed the warnings, and before Kei knew it, he was wrapped in a bone crushing hug which he couldn't seem to mind in the slightest. Kuroo smelled like mint and whatever horrible body spray he'd used in the morning, but it didn't matter. Kuroo's smell, his warmth, Kei could stay enveloped in it for hours.

Still, it was too hot to be this close outdoors, and Kei wriggled, trying to free himself from the hold. Times like this called for the secret weapon..."Hey...c'mon,  _Tetsu_ \--"

Kuroo groaned, and his hold actually tightened, and at that point, Kei knew it was hopeless to try and escape. "Kei, you're trying to kill me."

"Well I mean..."

"Hey!" Kuroo said with a laugh, lightly pinching Kei's side.

The blond couldn't help but snort, however, there was only so much of this he could take before he began to sweat. If Kuroo really wanted, he could hug Kei to death at home, where it was cooler. Kei squirmed again, making sure to not squish the plush too much in the process. "Tetsurou c'mon, it's  _hot_."

"Alright, alright," Kuroo said, pulling away with a wink. "You have a point there, it's pretty hot, and it's not just you."

"Oh my--"

" _But_ ," Kuroo added, his voice softening as he linked their hands together. The third year's golden eyes shone despite the shade, his smile warm and genuine. This,  _this_ was the look Kei couldn't tolerate. It was so sincere, so loving, and completely directed at him. He didn't deserve it, but he didn't want to let it go for anything, and it scared him. "I'm happy you like it, well, at least I think you do, heh..."

_You're still asking that? Idiot._

Kei couldn't think of anything else to do but squeeze Kuroo's hands, letting a small smile finally show on his lips as he felt the plush press against his body, a comfort which coupled nicely with the roughness of Kuroo's hands in his. His voice was barely a whisper, but he knew Kuroo heard it, the words echoing loud in the space around them. "Yeah, I do."

And while Kei seldom believed in things without faults, he let himself believe the weekend ahead would be close to perfect.

\--

It was on the walk home when Kei's life turned a step closer to hell.

He'd admittedly been lost in the comfortable bubble around himself and Kuroo, his hand brushing against the other's every now and again, his steps hurried as they made way for Kei's home.

And then it had happened.

"Oh, hey, is that Tsukishima?"

"Huh? Yeah? Yeah it is!"

"Hey Tsukki!"

_Fuck_.

Up ahead, Kei could see his teammates approaching, but luckily not all of them. Yamaguchi, Yachi, Kageyama, and Hinata were dressed in casual wear instead of sports clothes (for once), and were carrying various shopping bags.

A day out for the two couples probably. How nice (gross).

A lot of things ran through Kei's head in that moment. Should he ignore them? Should he run? What should he do with the plush? His automatic instinct was to jump a few feet away from Kuroo, seeing as how none of his teammates were aware they were dating. Not even  _Yamaguchi_. Kei felt sort of guilty about that one, especially since Yamaguchi had told him about his relationship with Yachi right away...

But part of Kei's warped mind kept insisting Kuroo would realize how boring and average he was at any moment, and having his best friend try to support him through a breakup would be devastating to his pride. However, with each month he and Kuroo dated, the worry was pushed further and further back into his mind, most days anyways. Regardless, telling Yamaguchi hadn't been something he'd been able to do.

Kuroo backed away from him too, aware of Kei's secret. Really, Kuroo was too great sometimes. He didn't mind at all keeping their relationship under wraps for the time being, telling Kei he could reveal it whenever he was ready.

And Kei was definitely not ready  _now_ , in the middle of a neighborhood sidewalk. But, it seemed the universe didn't care what he wanted. Awesome.

Kei turned around slowly, putting on the most neutral face he could for a 6''3 teen carrying a dinosaur plushie, and hoped he could brush this interaction off quickly. Kei didn't dare look at Kuroo, could practically feel the amusement radiating off the older teen. As the group of couples got closer, Kuroo leaned over a bit, whispering into Kei's ear. "Why didn't you just drop the plush? I would've picked it up."

Kei shot him a look which could probably only be described as ' _have you lost your damn mind, I'm not dropping shit.'_

Then he'd have to wash it, and it most likely had to air dry, which would make the fabric all stiff and--

"Oi, why is Nekoma's captain here?!"

Kei's thoughts froze, and he felt Kuroo drift away from him, and it was way more disappointing than he liked. He directed the sudden surge of displeasure at the orange fluff ball who had asked the question, looking down on the hyper excited boy.

_At least he's not jumping like usual._

"Yeah Kuroo-san," Yamaguchi added with a smile. "Are you visiting family or something?"

_Ah, yeah_. Kei supposed they could go with that. Kei also considered attributing Kuroo's presence to training, but even with all of Kei's development with volleyball, him seeking out Kuroo was still probably suspicious.

"He's," Kei began, ready with a plethora of excuses, when Kuroo spoke at the same time, both of their voices too quick to be even mildly natural.

"Yeah, family stu--"

"Training with--"

Kei's eyes widened, and he and Kuroo shared a distraught look, trying to recover. For two usually snarky people, they were pretty pathetic right now. Hinata and Kageyama may have let it slide, but Kei saw the way Yamaguchi squinted at him, and Kei avoided doing any of the fidgeting motions which he knew his best friend could recognize as him lying.

The two couples were staring at them in confusion when Kuroo cleared his throat, explaining their lie further. "Uh...well both. I was training...with my family, just practice games you know?"

Yachi tilted her head to the side, her pink ribbon bright and vibrant against her blonde hair. "I didn't know you had family here Kuroo-san."

Kei saw Kuroo swallow, and Kei almost felt bad for making him lie. It really went against Kuroo's code of living, but Kei would make it up to him somehow. When Kei stopped being such a loser about this, he'd clear it all up (or so he told himself). "Well...yeah, they're more like close family friends, but I call them family. Uh, anyways, I was heading back to the station to go home when I ran into Tsukki here!"

Kageyama blinked as he scrolled through his phone, pausing to eye them both critically. Hinata was leaning against him shamelessly, like he was meant to be there, and Kei did his best not to grimace. "But...the station is the other--"

"We took a walk and time got away from us," Kei said as calmly as he could, defaulting to his usual bored tone, like the walk and Kuroo had severely inconvenienced him. "He should be getting back though, right Kuroo-san?"

The honorifics felt weird on his tongue, especially after weeks of being on a first name basis, but he could deal with it. All they had to do was walk towards the station after saying goodbye, and then they could take the long way to Kei's house. It was annoying, but it was the only way.

"Yeah probably," Kuroo said, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "I have some time to kill but I am tir--"

That sentence was the final mistake, Kuroo knew it too, seeing as how Kei could see him tense from the corner of his eye as Yamaguchi's demeanor relaxed happily, grabbing hold of Yachi's hand with a blush.

_Oh no._

"Oh yeah? Well before you go, do you guys wanna grab some food?" Yamaguchi smiled radiantly, and Kei already knew he had lost. There was no way anyone was saying no to  _that_.

Damn his friend for being so stupidly nice and welcoming. Even with an intimidating friend like Kei by his side all his life, Yamaguchi never failed to be a ray of kindness.

_Shit_.

"Yeah! I want waffles!" Hinata joined in excitedly, already pulling Kageyama in the direction of the cafes they were familiar with. The raven must've been in a good mood too, hardly getting an insult out without blushing furiously at his boyfriend's cuteness. Gross.

Kei exchanged a look with Kuroo, one he hoped wasn't too telling, before Kuroo was smiling easily, giving the answer Kei knew he couldn't escape.

"Ah, why not?"

\--

Normally, Kei's sweet tooth would've overpowered his worries, considering how many pastries and cakes were offered at the diner they'd chosen.

However, there was only so much of Hinata eating he could stand to watch before he lost his appetite.

"Ey Tsukishima, I washh gonna ashk you earlier but," Hinata started, his words muffled from a mouth full of the waffles he had doused in syrup. No one else seemed concerned about this. "What's with the dino?"

Kei clutched the plushie in his arms tighter, whether out of anxiety or the fact he hadn't gotten over the  _damn_ thing yet, it was so great. Stupid Kuroo, choosing today to be sweeter than usual.

"Oh yeah Tsukki, I was wondering that too," Yamaguchi spoke up from where he was lounging in the booth, and arm wrapped lazily behind Yachi as she ate her parfait. "You don't...uh...usually buy those..."

It went unnoticed by everyone else, but Kei saw the way his best friend's eyes focused on him ever so slightly, like a missile to a target. Yamaguchi was testing him. The freckled boy  _knew_ Kei had a soft spot for stuffed animals, but he also knew Kei avoided buying them. Plus, with the weird interaction between Kei and Kuroo from earlier, Yamaguchi was no doubt suspicious.

Kei had to tread lightly, but he resolved to finally come clean to his friend privately within the next few days. Hiding things now would be too troublesome.

"Akiteru sent it to me," Kei said with a bored shrug. "Must be some kind of joke."

Yamaguchi pursed his lips together, unconvinced but finding nothing unbelievable about the excuse. Akiteru had the tendency to be embarrassing, especially when it came to buying Kei gifts. Ha. "Ah, that's sweet of him."

"Whatever."

Yamaguchi cranked his smile up a few notches as he fiddled with a strand of Yachi's hair, and Kei momentarily forgot the situation because of it. Well, at least Yamaguchi was acting less and less nervous around his girlfriend. When they'd first started dating, he hadn't been able to as much as sit next to her without worrying about it.

Not that he could judge, Kei was sure he and Kuroo had changed a lot with how they acted around each other too, and the thought was as exhilarating as it was terrifying. Being this close to someone romantically...Kei would've never believed it. Again, he blamed Kuroo's persistence, but of course deep down, it was way more than that.

Kei wondered what comments Yamaguchi would have about his own relationship, had Kei actually told him from the beginning.

Yamaguchi was still staring at him, because he could tell when Kei was thinking hard about something, the hand in Yachi's hair slowing in its ministrations. The tenseness between them went pretty much undetected by those eating food, but Kuroo, bless him, was skilled at reading the mood of a conversation. And, with his captain like instinct, he moved to diffuse the situation in any way he could. It was simply how he did things.

Too bad he couldn't have picked a better topic.

"So Yamaguchi," Kuroo said, giving his usual easygoing smile, his tone holding the smallest ounce of teasing. "How long have you been dating this angel?"

_Fucking Tetsu._

Bringing up anything to do with boyfriends and girlfriends was what Kei was trying to avoid.

Yachi lit up like a fire hydrant, dropping her spoon onto her plate as Yamaguchi's smile turned sheepish.

They were cute, sickly cute. Kei smirked, unable to resist his own urge to mess with his friend. Maybe Kuroo knew it too, and that was why he'd asked the question in the first place. It certainly distracted Kei.

At first.

"Ah well," Yamaguchi said, rubbing the back of his head as Yachi relaxed into his side. "Only a month or so but..."

"It feels like a lot longer heh," Yachi jumped in. She fiddled with her bow, trying to not let a blinding smile completely unleash itself on her face. "B-but that's probably just because I liked Yamaguchi-kun a lot longer before that..."

The last of her sentence died off in a whisper, and Kei caught the way Yamaguchi's hand slid off her shoulder to squeeze her arm, pulling her closer. Memories of sitting up against Kuroo on his bed assaulted him, and Kei's breath hitched. It made Kei's skin tingle as his own arm brushed against Kuroo's, and suddenly he regretted not being able to do the same, whether or not he hated PDA.

Kuroo's hand moved discreetly under the table to squeeze Kei's, a small comfort to hold them over. He hadn't seen or touched Kuroo in so long, he kept forgetting how strong the pull was. He could sense Kuroo's strain too though, with how hard his grip was, and how this throat bobbed with a swallow. Kei gripped the hand back, smoothing his thumb over Kuroo's skin, and he felt the third year relax somewhat. Kuroo knew how to calm him sure, but Kei was getting pretty good at calming the other down too, recognizing when he longed for more. Kuroo was a sap like that, but Kei liked him all the same.

"Nice going both of you," Kuroo said softly, and Kei thought it was the end of it. Until Kuroo started to slowly smirk, obviously very pleased with his words. "You know, I have a thing for blonds myself, my babe happens to be one."

_Nope nevermind. I hate him._

Too bad Kei couldn't kick Kuroo under the table without jostling the rest of the group.

"Waa Kuroo-san, you have a girlfriend?" Hinata asked after swallowing his next mouthful, and even Kageyama's eyes widened a tad in interest. Kei guessed he couldn't blame them, when he'd first met Kuroo, it would be weird to imagine him having a person who could keep up with him. Now though, now Kei knew Kuroo was a huge dork underneath all the captain bravado. "She must be so cool!"

"Well, she's a guy but yeah, he's  _very_ cool."

Kei had to  _fiercely_ will a blush away. Instead he chose to glare at the table, trying to see if it would disintegrate on command.

"You have a boyfriend?" Yamaguchi asked, and Kei could  _feel_ his eyes on him, but he would  _not_ make eye contact. Then it would be all over. "Since when?"

_Don't you--_

"About four months," Kuroo said, his smirk growing as Kei looked at him. Technically it was nearly four and a half, but whatever. Didn't matter. "Happiest four months of my life."

Kei rolled his eyes, mostly because it was all he could do without incriminating himself. "Oh please--"

"Aw! So cute!" Yachi cut him off, and it seemed everyone was bent on making Kei's life hell, because Kageyama had to jump in right after.

"You go on dates n’ junk?"

"Duh Bakageyama! We go on d-dates!" Hinata had no volume control, and Kei was grateful they were sitting in a more isolated part of the cafe. The orange ball of sunlight wore a slight flush, but he kept Kageyama's gaze, and Kei seriously wondered how they dated at all.

Although, watching them during practice, it was painfully obvious. And even today, while they ate or walked, there was rarely a time where they weren't touching or leaning on each other in some way. It was a subtle form of intimacy, but it was there none the less, as powerful as Yamaguchi's and Yachi's.

Kageyama scowled, his voice rising as well, and actually, Kei took back all his disbelief. They were perfect for each other. Idiots. "I know that! I was just trying to make conversation!"

"Well you suck at it!"

"You--"

"Actually," Kuroo chimed in, his voice laced in amusement, and the couple automatically turned to him in confusion. "He and I prefer to stay in, but we go to the movies and out to the mall a lot."

Kuroo paused then, his expression softening into something Kei was only used to seeing in private, and it made his heart race. The look was unfair, and he hadn't quite figured out if Kuroo was aware of this or not. “Honestly, it doesn't much matter to me. I just like being around him."

Yeah, completely unfair.

The worst part was, fictional boyfriend or not, Kuroo was being completely serious. Kuroo had told Kei the same words before, to his face, in the same soft and genuine tone. Kei couldn't deal with it then, couldn't deal with it now. Everything inside him screamed at him to reject it, to push the emotions away because they were dangerous. Falling victim to those words would only hurt him in the end, but he  _couldn't_ leave them behind. Not when Kuroo said things in that voice, with such an honest look on his face.

This stupid third year, who hated lying and avoided cursing, who sent Kei cheesy postcards and good morning texts...he was too good to be true, and as much as Kei tried and  _tried_ , he couldn't find a reason to doubt him.

Kei squeezed his plush tighter, suddenly compelled to squish his face into the softness once more. It was a gift from Kuroo too, and he wouldn't dream of forgetting the fact.

Regardless of the strange surge of affection Kei was battling, Kuroo was still being an annoying shit, and if Kei didn't want to give himself away, he had to do  _something_.

Kei sent his boyfriend a look, one which was neutral in form, but he hoped it communicated  _something_. Some sort of telepathic message like  _what the hell are you trying to do?_

Kuroo only grinned brighter though, triumphant, like he'd beaten Kei at some sort of game. This was Kuroo's plan of course, because though Kuroo couldn't actually show any affection at the moment, he could at least have some fun with Kei in other ways.  _Bastard_ , trying to find a loophole in every situation.

It was both admirable and frustrating.

The rest of the couples were looking at Kuroo in awe before blushing themselves, no doubt feeling the same way about their respective partners. The wave of easiness and subtle exhilaration rushed through the air, like the feelings themselves became airborne, infecting everyone with the need to feel close to the one they loved. Kageyama seemed unsure of how to expel the affection inside him, and eventually decided on slumping against Hinata like a heavy bag while Hinata gasped in surprise. After a minute, though only Hinata was physically smiling, Kei observed how they both beamed, obviously not bothered by anything in the world.

Maybe this had been Kuroo's cruel plan all along, to make Kei crave the affection he'd been so spoiled with up until this point.

But surprisingly, Kuroo rubbed the back of his head, his expression and words more bashful than anything. "But, I'm sure Tsukki here gets sick of me talking about him all the time while we text," Kuroo said, keeping up the facade lazily for good measure. Kei eyed him critically, not bothering to take notice of Yamaguchi's gaze returning to them after the weird spell had been broken.

_Had he not meant to say it?_

It seemed unlikely. Kuroo got more and more careful with his words every day, but...

"Tsukishima, you and Kuroo are that close?" Yachi asked, her words purely inquisitive with no hidden urging, but for Kei the question was a danger zone. Or at least, it should've been. For whatever reason, the anxiety and paranoia from before seemed minuscule and unnecessary at the moment.

Kei couldn't stop staring at his blushing boyfriend, who was now staring intensely into his cup of coffee like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Kuroo had never once avoided Kei's eyes, not since they'd first started dating, and Kei was not a fan. Kei loved Kuroo's eyes, how they shone and widened, moving with emotions. He wondered if this was how Kuroo felt, why he always tried to catch Kei's eyes, always lifted his chin to make them share the intimacy of sight.

Kei swallowed, his eyes softening as he began to pet the plush's back, letting the words flow before he could find reason to stop himself. "Mm, we are I guess. I don't really mind him...talking about his boyfriend like that..."

Kuroo's head shot up, his hand jerking in surprise, almost knocking over his coffee. Kei had to stop himself from laughing.

_Dork_.

Kuroo grabbed the cup quickly, schooling his expression into the same easy grin, but Kei dared not look at him after that. Kei could feel the other practically vibrating with happiness, and while it was nice to know he was the cause, Kei didn't know if Kuroo would be able to resist his usual affections if Kei acknowledged him.

Although, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if he didn't.

Kei meant what he said anyways. He didn't mind when Kuroo told him mushy things, or got him gifts, made him cheesy playlists, or sent him affectionate texts. In all honesty, he didn't mind it even a little, though he liked to outwardly label it excessive. Because well...he returned those sentiments, albeit in his own, more reserved way. And seeing how happy it made Kuroo when he did...it made it worth it.

He felt Kuroo squeeze his hand extra tight, and that was answer enough.  _Oh yeah, that happened. Oh well._

Kei guessed they just made each other happy. Why he had to hide it, he wasn't sure. It was probably due to the same old fear of the happiness being taken away, but at the moment, even that felt illogical. What had happened to him?

It was a crushing realization, to admit how happy he was, to ponder the fact he might just be  _okay_ with being that happy. It was a dangerous feeling, but he couldn't bear to smother it. This certainly wasn't the kind of revelation he wanted to have in a cheap diner across from his volleyball teammates, but well, he guessed his life had always been a shit show.

He'd much rather be in his room, pressed against Kuroo when he had thoughts like this, and maybe that also signified how much of a goner he was.

Kei glanced across the table, catching Yamaguchi's knowing eyes before they were back on his girlfriend, and Kei watched his best friend's face practically light up as she smiled at him. Hinata and Kageyama weren't much better, in fact, Kageyama was now cleaning Hinata's syrup marred face in a disgusting display of fondness.

It was way too much PDA for his liking, and an hour ago, he would've been actively repulsed by it. Now though, now he could only wonder if he looked as love struck as they all did when he looked at Kuroo.

As the question crossed his mind, he found his gaze cautiously drifting back to his boyfriend, and from the light blush on Kuroo's cheeks and the smiles they were both trying to hide, he got his answer.

Yeah, they probably were both idiots just like the rest of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Comments are always appreciated <3
> 
> Come yell at me on Twitter @itsloveuasshole ^^   
> Tumblr: its-love-u-asshole


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